By Zamone Perez | Air Force Times
ESPN is drawing criticism for selecting Prince Harry as the Pat Tillman Service Award recipient at this year’s ESPYs, including from the fallen soldier’s mother and a host of one of the sports network’s more popular shows.
Every year the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly awards show, or ESPYs, honors one individual with an award in memory of Pat Tillman, a former NFL safety who enlisted in the Army following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Tillman was killed on April 22, 2004, in a friendly fire incident while deployed to Afghanistan. He was 27 years old.
The late soldier’s mother, Mary Tillman, told the Daily Mail she was not consulted by ESPN on the award decision. Tillman called ESPN’s selection of Prince Harry, who left royal duties and moved to California with his wife Meghan Markle, a “controversial” and “divisive” choice.
“There are recipients that are far more fitting,” Tillman told the Daily Mail, which was first to report on the controversy. “There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans. … These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I feel that those types of individuals should be [recognized].”